Sayers blames bad start as Chiefs rule (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Sayers blames bad start as Chiefs rule

6:00pm Monday 1st January 2007 in Sport By Bill Marshall

Otley 3

Exeter Chiefs 34

Experienced hooker Duncan Sayers reckons the wrong mental attitude did for Otley's chances of victory on Saturday.

The former Ilkley player, who feels there are no longer any excuses for their position just above the drop zone, said: "We talked the talk before kick-off but didn't start like we were that bothered really and that is what cost us in the end."

The fourth-from-bottom side made a terrible start and, apart from a ten-minute spell just before half-time, didn't mount any sustained pressure on their full-time opponents.

And from a 24-3 half-time deficit, Otley, who are only two places and three points above a relegation berth, only sporadically threatened in the second half.

Sayers said: "We didn't start very well and never got on the front foot from then on.

"We just let them get a roll-on and we couldn't really compete when they got on the front foot, and it was a bit of a harsh lesson for us up front.

"Conditions (wet and gloomy) didn't help but they coped very well with them and kept the ball and ground us down."

Sayers added: "A little bit of that may be down to the fact that they are full-time players and we are part-time players but we talked about starting well and we didn't start well.

"We did against Leeds the previous weekend but we couldn't replicate that and we need to in the future.

"We were 14-0 down after 11 minutes and from then on were always on the back foot."

Otley soon got on the wrong side of referee Lyn Apgeraint Roberts, home skipper Ian Shuttleworth being called over twice in the first five minutes to have his team-mates' misdemeanours pointed out.

And with the hosts pinned in their own 22, it was only a matter of time before the Chiefs capitalised, scrum half Kevin Barrett darting over for a try in the sixth minute, fly half Tony Yapp adding the conversion.

Five minutes later, Exeter had doubled their advantage, centre Ali Fatialofa breaking through in midfield and rounding full back Alistair Monks, Yapp again tagging on the extras.

Shuttleworth did convert a penalty in the 16th minute but that was cancelled out three minutes later by Yapp when Otley were offside in front of their sticks.

A late tackle on Otley winger Danny Smith was the catalyst for that severe spell of home pressure in Exeter's right-hand corner.

Barrett and hooker Sam Blythe were both sin-binned as the penalty count racked up in Otley's favour beneath the scoreboard but, despite a two-man deficit, Exeter survived being held deep in their own 22.

Sayers reflected: "We probably didn't play that period cute enough. They had two men back and we should have dragged them in and then gone wide. Those are things that we need to work on."

Otley's stand-in coach Mike Barnett seemed to single out scrum half Andy Brown for criticism over their failure to score after camping in Exeter's red zone and his demeanour didn't improve when Exeter broke away to score in first-half injury time.

Using the pick and drive to make yards more quickly and easily than Otley, the visitors went quickly downfield and Australian centre Wade Kelly - who had replaced try-scorer Ali Fatialofa in the 23rd minute - scored, Yapp converting.

By the first stoppage in the second half, Exeter had 15 men on the field again but Otley, who only had eight first-team squad members out rather than the 12 of a few weeks ago, then lost Brown with a groin injury.

The light may have been more akin to an evening Yorkshire Cup tie by now but it couldn't mask the sight of home spectators drifting away with more than a quarter of the contest to go.

Flanker Tony Walker crossed in the 67th minute to give Exeter their four-try bonus point to go with the four points for victory and Yapp made it five kicks out of five by landing the conversion.

Smith's thrilling run from deep in the 71st minute couldn't bring Otley the consolation try they craved and, after home No 8 Brendon Back was sin-binned in the 77th minute, Yapp finished the scoring with another penalty.

That wasn't the finish of Otley's attacking intentions, however, but Shuttle-worth's pass that gave Smith another running chance was ruled forward.

Sayers said: "When you are 21 points down at half-time, you really need to start the second half with a bang and we got going a bit but we never had any concerted pressure in their half and didn't use what wind there was.

"We should try and get the ball through the hands but weather like this isn't the best."